New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 535’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisimp 535’, characterized by its outwardly spreading, rounded and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; large rounded light purple-colored flowers with darker purple markings and red purple-colored eye that are positioned above and beyond the foliage; and dark green-colored leaves.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 535.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fisimp 535’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new moderately compact Impatiens cultivars thatflower relatively early with large rounded flowers and attractive flowercolors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor in July,1998 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharras, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Toga,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,304, as the male, or pollen, parent.The cultivar Fisimp 535 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inMoncarapacho, Portugal, since March, 1999, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fisimp 535’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Fisimp 535’ as a new and distinct Impatienscultivar:

1. Outwardly spreading, rounded and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.

3. Large rounded light purple-colored flowers with darker purplemarkings and a red purple-colored eye that are positioned above andbeyond the foliage.

4. Dark green leaves.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Danharras. In side-by-side comparisons conducted bythe Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiensdiffered from plants of the cultivar Danharras in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were taller and not as compact as plantsof the cultivar Danharras.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens flowered later than plants of thecultivar Danharras.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light purple in colorwith darker purple markings and a red purple-colored eye whereas flowersof plants of the cultivar Danharras were white and dark pink bi-colored.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Toga. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by theInventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differedfrom plants of the cultivar Toga in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were taller and not as compact as plantsof the cultivar Toga.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light purple in colorwith darker purple markings and a red purple-colored eye whereas flowersof plants of the cultivar Toga were light purple in color with awhite-colored eye.

Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Fisimp 113, U.S. PlantPatent application filed concurrently, differ in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Kipulau, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted bythe Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiensdiffered from plants of the cultivar Kipulau in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger and not as compact as plantsof the cultivar Kipulau.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were larger than flowers ofplants of the cultivar Kipulau.

3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light purple in colorwith darker purple markings and a red purple-colored eye whereas flowersof plants of the cultivar Kipulau were light purple in color with awhite-colored eye.

Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of thecultivar Kipas, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,432. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants ofthe new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Kipas in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were larger and not as compact as plantsof the cultivar Kipas.

2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were light purple in colorwith darker purple markings and a red purple-colored eye whereas flowersof plants of the cultivar Kipas were darker purple in color with lessintense red purple-colored eye.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Fisimp 535’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Fisimp 535 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, undercommercial practice in a greenhouse. Rooted young plants were planted in17.5-cm containers during the spring and the aforementioned photographand following observations and measurements were taken during the summerabout 17 weeks later. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 21 to 24° C. and night temperatures were about17 to 18° C. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 535.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Danharras, not patented.

Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Toga, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 10,304.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 8 to 9 days at 24° C. Winter:About 10 days at 21° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 15 days at 24° C.Winter: About 18 days at 21° C.

Root description.—Numerous, fibrous, and freely branching; 179D incolor.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Outwardly spreading, low, rounded and uniformlymounded plant growth habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushyappearance; freely flowering. Moderately vigorous.

Crop time.—From a rooted cutting, about 10 to 11 weeks are required toproduce finished flowering plants in 12-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 20.3 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 54.3 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About 14. Length: About 18.5 cm.Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Color: 187A to187B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Primarily in whorls. Length: About13.4 cm. Width: About 4.8 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute to acuminate.Base: Acute. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Smooth, slightlyrugose; glabrous. Color: Young and fully expanded foliage, uppersurface: 139A. Young and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 185A.Venation, upper surface: 53A. Venation, lower surface: 187B. Petiole:Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Color: Upper surface: 60A.Lower surface: 187B.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single; large rounded lightpurple-colored flowers with darker purple markings and redpurple-colored eye. Freely and continuously flowering; usually about 6to 9 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers flat andpositioned above and beyond the foliage and typically face parallel tothe leaf canopy. Petals not persistent; gynoecium persistent. Flowersnot fragrant.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 8 to 9 days on the plant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. Plants beginflowering about 9 to 10 weeks after planting.

Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 74B to 74C.

Flower length.—About 7.1 cm.

Flower width.—About 7.25 cm.

Flower depth.—About 1 cm.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: Banner petals:About 3.2 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 3.8 cm. Width: Bannerpetal: About 5 cm. Lateral and base petals: About 4 cm. Shape: Roughlycordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect:Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth; satiny. Color: When opening, uppersurface: 80C. When opening, lower surface: 74C. Fully opened, uppersurface: Ground color, 80C; center of banner petal, 74B, faint. Towardsbase of petals or eye, close to 57B. Ground color becoming 75A to 75Bwith subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: Between 74Cand 80C.

Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: At apex:About 0.5 mm. At flower: About 3 mm. Aspect: Curved. Color: 53B.

Peduncles.—Length: About 5.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong,flexible. Angle: About 45° from the lateral branch. Color: 187B to 187C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five fused at anthers,hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 6 mm. Anther shape:Obovate. Anther color: 57C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 8D.Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 5.5 mm.Stigma color: 57D. Style color: 57D. Ovary: Five-celled. Ovary color:187A to 187B.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Fisimp 535’, as illustrated and described.